Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/08/2022

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  In late June, 2022, **** ******* of Macleod's Plumbing and Heating came to assess a rough-in plumbing job we needed done as part of house renovations. He said he would send an estimate and the work could be done by late June. Despite several calls to the company to request the estimate and a specific start date, we received no response. On June 27, Mr. ******* phoned to say the work would start the next day. We reminded him that we still had not received an estimate. The next day, a plumber and assistant arrived and began the job. Since our carpenter could not continue his work until the rough-in was done and because we had never had any problems of any kind with this company before, we did not stop the work. Later that day, we saw the estimate which had been e-mailed to us at 4:53 p.m. on June 27. Since there was no itemization, we did not know the costs for materials versus labor nor how long the work might take. The workers were here for 5 hours on the first day and 3 hours the second. When we received the invoice, we were shocked at the amount (over $4200 with tax) and lack of itemization, again. When we asked for more information, Mr. ******* said he doesn't "do detailed invoices". At some point, he said the costs for labor and materials, respectively, were about $2500 and $1100, before tax. He later sent a revised invoice for $300 less than the original. We have paid the bill, not wanting to incur late payment charges. When my wife called the office to pay the bill, she again listed her concerns and the response was, in her terms, "heated, aggressive and defensive". I want to make clear that we are satisfied with the work done. However, not only do we feel the charges were excessive, we think it is inappropriate for any business to refuse to provide detailed estimates and invoices. Moreover, we think that customers should be given a reasonable time to consider an estimate before work begins.

  Business Response

  Date: 16/08/2022

  To Whom it may concern,
  
  
  Regarding complaint ID 17681194. In Early June 2022, we had been out to the customers home to scope the job-site and to provide an estimate. The customers were looking to add a new ensuite bathroom and laundry facilities. We had scoped the job and informed the customers we would email the estimate to them. Unfortunately, we have been extremely busy, understaffed, and stretched thin, so the estimate had not been sent out immediately. I think most contractors can say that they are guilty of this from time to time as the work in front of you, unfortunately tends to take priority.
  
  Near the end of June, the customers had called in wondering when the work could start. They were very eager to get their project underway (which I understood). I had informed them that I had actually had a last-minute cancellation for the following day. I urged them there was no pressure to take this spot because I had not sent them the estimate as of yet. The customers exact words were “oh no, we’ve got you now, we want you to come”. I informed them that I would have the estimate sent out to them today, and again assured them if they needed and wanted time to review the estimate that there was no pressure to start the work this quickly, which they insisted they were comfortable moving ahead with the work. The estimate was sent out, and we geared up to proceed with the work the following day.
  
  The following day I arrived on the job-site with two of my techs to go over the scope of the work. I typically like to be on site when starting any “quoted” jobs to do my due diligence to the customer, that way we can go over the scope again and make adjustments if necessary. The customers were there, very happy to see us and happy to finally get their construction underway. We actually made some modifications to the plan while on site to make other contractors work easier and to allow an easier installation of the dryer. This actually added a little more work for us but we were happy to do so at no additional cost. My techs worked the full day at the job-site as well as half the day the following day. 
  
  The work proceeded flawlessly and as smooth as you could hope any job would go. The customers were very pleased with the work and never once brought to our attention their concerns with the cost of the job. 
  
  The invoice was sent out to the customers the following week, and approximately a week later they phoned our office with questions regarding their invoice. I was away on vacation that week and was unable to contact them until the following week when I returned. Upon arriving back, I had phoned the customers to find out they were looking for a detailed breakdown of the cost. I then informed them that I don’t provide detailed breakdowns on estimates but I could tell them the material & labor costs. Which I informed them the labor was $2500.00 and the material was $1198.00. This did not satisfy the customers, unfortunately, and they proceeded to become very hostile and aggressive with me on the phone. They claimed we were only there for 8 hours and that these charges were ridiculous. I replied that this was a price that was already provided to them prior to the work beginning, and that you could have brought these concerns up prior to the job starting, or when I was there the morning of the work commencing. They then informed me that they hadn’t seen the estimate in their email until we had already arrived on the job-site. Which I also replied that they still could have brought this to my attention immediately, and maybe this could have come to a better resolve, instead they decided to wait a number of weeks after the work had already been completed.
  
  During the phone call, the customer continuously used profanity towards me, the hours that my techs worked there were questioned, they even went as far as asking how much my technicians make an hour. I of course would not tell them the private affairs of my employees and their wages, which they were not pleased with. I also informed them that all of our company vehicles have GPS units in them, and that my technicians were on site from 8am to 5pm the first day and 8am to 12pm the second day, which for some reason they did not believe me. At the end of the phone call I was just looking for some kind of resolve to the situation so I informed them I would revisit the invoice and call them back.
  
  I phoned the customer back a few minutes later and offered them a $300.00 discount before tax. The customer seemed very happy with this, thanked me and we said our goodbyes. I thought that we had come to an agreeable outcome, I offered them a nice discount to which they seemed very happy with.
  
  The following week they phoned in to our office pay their invoice. Which they then got very hostile and were incredibly disrespectful to our office staff who had no part in any of this. They then informed us that they were not finished with us and they would be taking this to the Better Business Bureau. 
  Receiving this complaint comes as no shock. However, we feel it is unwarranted. The customer has twisted facts in their complaint to try and give it credibility. We feel this all could have been avoided if they had brought their concerns to our attention when they had reviewed their estimate. Instead, they waited until the work was fully completed and not until the invoice was sent. I would like to add that the customer was the one who agreed for us to start the work; we can’t just arrive at someone’s home and start working without their consent.
  
  We understand that they claim they did not review the email until the day of the work commencing. We would have been able to work together to possibly find a cheaper way of completing the work if they had brought this to our attention. We would also like to add that the customer has their dates confused in their complaint. The estimate was sent to them on June 22. The work was completed on June 23rd/June 24th and their invoice was sent to them on June 27th. 
  
  We feel the only reason the customer chose to question the estimate weeks later was because the job went so smoothly. It is my thoughts that for some reason they believe because the job went as well as I had hoped and intended upon, that they were somehow “ripped off”. Maybe if the job went incredibly difficult and we struggled to complete it in a timely fashion, they would feel that their money had better value? 
  
  Unfortunately, as contractors sometimes this is the reward, provide an estimate, provide good work, have it completed in a timely and professional fashion, only to be questioned when the work is completed and have complaints filed against you. 
  
  We certainly wish this would have come to a more amicable end. As the customer said in their complaint, they are satisfied with the work. This is merely questioning the cost of an agreed upon job, far too long after the work was completed. 
  
  This will hopefully provide enough clarity on the situation.
  
  We hope this finds you well,
  
  **** *******
  
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 19/08/2022

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  
  There is no proposed resolution.

  There are inaccuracies we want to correct.